Russell truly skyrocketed into stardom a year ago as a senior at Texas' Duncanville High School, receiving numerous honors as a result of his stellar 2024 season. Across 14 games played, Russell completed 69.4% of passes for 4,177 yards and a 55:4 TD:INT ratio, while also rushing for 321 yards and three touchdowns on 33 attempts.

After long talks, the Southeastern Conference announced on Thursday that teams will play nine conference games apiece instead of eight starting in 2026. “Adding a ninth SEC game underscores our universities’ commitment to delivering the most competitive football schedule in the nation,” SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey said in a statement.